Background: The third smallest state in Europe (after The Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Area
Total: 60 km²
Land: 60 km²
Comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: Total 39 km, Italy 39 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: None; landlocked

Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain: Rugged mountains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Fiume Ausa 55 m
Extremes highest point: Monte Titano 749 m

Natural resources: Building stone

Land use
Arable land: 17%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 83%

Irrigated land: NA

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian

Languages: Italian

Religions: Roman Catholic

Age structure
0-14 years: 16% (male 1,978; female 1,967) (July 1996 est.) 16% (male 1,962; female 1,944) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years: 68% (male 8,401; female 8,249) (July 1996 est.) 68% (male 8,354; female 8,243) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
International agreements: NA
Current issues: NA
Current issues Natural hazards: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified_Air Pollution
Current issues note: Landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sex ratio
At birth: 1 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.32 years (1996 est.), 81.27 years (1995 est.)
Male: 77.34 years 91,996 est.), 77.26 years (1995 est.)
Female: 85.3 years (1996 est.), 85.29 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 10 and over that can read and write (1976)
Total population: 96%
Male: 97%
Female: 95%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
Conventional short form: San Marino
Local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
Local short form: San Marino

Government type: Republic

Capital: San Marino

Administrative divisions: 9 municipalities (castelli, singular_castello; Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Monte Giardino, San Marino, Serravalle

Independence: 301 AD (by tradition)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Foundation of the Republic, 3 September

Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

Legal system: Based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
Head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Gabriele GATTI (since NA July 1986) was elected for a five-year term by the Great and General Council; election last held NA 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
Cabinet: Congress of State
Note: The popularly elected parliament (Great and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (Co-Chiefs of State) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Great and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State) which has ten other members, all selected by the Great and General Council; assisting the Captains Regent are three Secretaries of State_Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Finance_and several additional secretaries; the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has come to assume many of the prerogatives of a prime minister

Legislative branch: Unicameral Great and General Council:(Consiglio Grande e Generale) elections last held 30 May 1993 (next to be held by NA May 1998; results_PDCS 41.4%, PSS 23.7%, PDP 18.6%, ADP 7.7%, MD 5.3%, RC 3.3%; seats_(60 total) PDCS 26, PSS 14, PDP 11, ADP 4, MD 3, RC 2

Judicial branch: Council of Twelve (Consiglio dei XII)

International organization participation: CE, ECE, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO

Flag description: Two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Economy overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 1993 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Real gdp growth rate: 2.4% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $15,800 (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: Employs 3% of labor force; products_wheat, grapes, maize, olives, meat, cheese, hides; small numbers of cattle, pigs, horses

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA; accounts for 42% of labor force Supplied by Italy

Labor force: 14,874 (1993 est.)
By occupation Industry: 40%
By occupation Agriculture: 2%

Unemployment rate: 4.9% (December 1993)

Budget
Revenues: $320 million (1995 est.), $275 million (1992 est.)
Expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.), $275 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1992 est.)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports: total value. Trade data are included with the statistics for Italy;
Commodities:

Imports: total value:Wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt external: NA

Exchange rates: Italian lire (Lit) per US$1_1,583.8 (January 1996), 1,629.2 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990)

Telephone system: 22,300 (1992 est.) telephones; automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: microwave and cable links into Italian networks; no communication satellite facilities